Chain Lube

[prr 153]

Yeah, the gear oil is the best one but at temperatures around zero it is so thick that hardly goes out of the bottle So I switched to 15w30 engine oil and once every 2000-3000km BelRay Super Clean. Hope that would be enough. We'll see in a few thousand kilometers (till now 4000 since the chain/sprockets change without issues). 

[ste7ios 469]

I know... You've to adjust all the time the flow and change the viscosity seasonally... (That's why I prefer electronic oilers). Currently I'm using blue scottoil...

[JM750XDE 165]

Just cleaned and re-lubed my chain for the first time ever - used the classic SDoc100 cleaner and white spraylube, waiting 4 hours before riding ( cant wait overnight as the bike is at work with me and did during lunchtime when the sun was out, tonnes of crap came off and used whole roll of kitchen paper !!

 

Excellent deal on 6 cans ( 3 of each type via that Fleabay site ) for £59.

I've only used half of each can, looking forward to keeping this chain clean and lovely lovely from now on

 

Not too sure on using an oiler with the chain as I am concerned it will just place oil on top of the crap stuck to the chain during upcoming use during winter.

Edited October 31, 2015 by JM750XDE

[ste7ios 469]

An oiler will keep the chain clean, as the oil is not sticky and thrown away together with any crap... I may clean the chain once a year with a Kettenmax and SDoc100 cleaner...

[Rev Ken 6,343]

My e Scott oiler, using their blue oil, keeps my chain very clean, far better than when I was spraying various concoctions before fitting it. I do get some oil splatters on my chain guard and inner rear wheel rim, but it isn't hard to remove it if I get a rush of blood to my head and decide to clean my bike.

[JM750XDE 165]

It's on the Crimbo list. Don't think I want to spend my life cleaning fracking chains!!

[wozza 967]

I use WD40 and sometimes a light oil such as 3 in 1. Every couple of months I check the chain thoroughly link by link, and roller by roller in order to check 'free running' as sometimes rollers can seize up.

[Rev Ken 6,343]

I use WD40 and sometimes a light oil such as 3 in 1. Every couple of months I check the chain thoroughly link by link, and roller by roller in order to check 'free running' as sometimes rollers can seize up.

Wozza, Let u know how long your chain lasts as you are a braver man than I am!

[wozza 967]

Wozza, Let u know how long your chain lasts as you are a braver man than I am!

. Well I've never ever had a problem with a chain so far(touch wood)... Also my present bike doesn't have one as I still have the Harley...

However, I am quite interested in the new 750X, or possibly one of the new water cooled Bonnevilles when they come out. It may be down to pricing in the end, but the new Bonnie does look like a quality piece of kit.

Edited November 1, 2015 by wozza

[michael 324]

Just as an aside doesnt WD40 stand for Water Dispersant attempt number 40 (before they perfected the product)?

Yup. They tried 39 other "recipe's," before falling on this one. 

The "carrier," evaporates leaving behind a very thin layer of a lubricant but shouldn't really be considered robust enough for a chain lubricant. It's primary purpose was to disperse moisture.

 

Either a true chain lubricant (one that sticks to the surface) or if using an auto oiler such as Tutoro of Loobman, them motor oil or gear lube oil will provide "better," lubrication.  I use quotations around the word better simply because it's all very dependant on the diligence applied by the owner, how often, how clean the chain in, what kind of circumstances the bike is ridden such as heavy rain, only dry or off asphalt in dusty conditions. Adverse conditions require more attention to the chain.

 

That's my $.02 on chain lube. Use what you will, just be diligent about it.

[wozza 967]

The on going discussion on WD40 and chains must be like an ever lasting gobstopper - it just goes on forever...☺

[Guest dentonlad]

The on going discussion on WD40 and chains must be like an ever lasting gobstopper - it just goes on forever...☺

Hello Wozza, good to see you back!

A bit like the Rossi/Marquez thread and anything that mentions DCT then....☺☺☺☺

[wozza 967]

Hiya Keith.. Thanks for the welcome... I always pop in from time to time.

Some debates never seem to end. In the end you just go with what suits you best.

[Joeyjoejnr 96]

Fitted my Loobman today.  Quite a messy job.  There was some amount of thick black grease around the front sproket.

 

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[Tonyj 6,907]

Joe , you need to use black zip ties gawd help us , who trained you honda ;0)

And that colostomy looks full:0)

[wozza 967]

When i have a bike with a chain - I never use a chain spray. Infact I hate them. I use WD40 to clean and occasionally I lube with a light oil and wipe off the excess. I check my chain quite regularly link by link and make sure all the rollers are free running.

I'm not the remotest bit bothered about the whys and wherefores of using WD40. It's what I use and I have no intention of changing how I clean and lube my chain.

Just one point -I am not an all weather commuter though. A bike for me these days is a toy.

[aquaboy 105]

chain saw oil, its dead cheap and is fling resistant as its for a chain.

 

You don't want anything that creeps or unseizeses as it can work its way throu' the O rings. There there to keep the lube in the chain and the shit out..

What you need is a high pressure oil (ie thick) to act as a barrier between the chain roller and the sprocket tooth to stop metal to metal contact and hence wear. This is what your oiling.

In the old days before O ring chains you would remove it every once in a while and boil up a concoction of grease and gearoil and soak  the chain in the smoking liquid to fill all the internal clearances. Seem to remember you could buy a lubricant for this purpose.

 

 http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/hot-tub-wax-based-chain-lube-launches-on-kickstarter-40465/   Modern pushbike type.

[Rev Ken 6,343]

chain saw oil, its dead cheap and is fling resistant as its for a chain.

 

You don't want anything that creeps or unseizeses as it can work its way throu' the O rings. There there to keep the lube in the chain and the shit out..

What you need is a high pressure oil (ie thick) to act as a barrier between the chain roller and the sprocket tooth to stop metal to metal contact and hence wear. This is what your oiling.

In the old days before O ring chains you would remove it every once in a while and boil up a concoction of grease and gearoil and soak  the chain in the smoking liquid to fill all the internal clearances. Seem to remember you could buy a lubricant for this purpose.

 

 http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/hot-tub-wax-based-chain-lube-launches-on-kickstarter-40465/   Modern pushbike type.

It was a graphite grease in a large round flat tin (similar to a shallow biscuit tin). You placed your chain in it and heated it carefully on your mum's gas cooker until, it melted and the chain sank to the bottom. I can still remember the smell..... and my mum's displeasure!

[Rocker66 34,466]

It was a graphite grease in a large round flat tin (similar to a shallow biscuit tin). You placed your chain in it and heated it carefully on your mum's gas cooker until, it melted and the chain sank to the bottom. I can still remember the smell..... and my mum's displeasure!

Been there done that but made sure mother was out

[trisaki 2,029]

Still got a tin sitting in my wshop !

[Guest DelBoy]

in a word....Tutoro... Job done 

[Guest The Ronin]

My chain was gone on about 19500kms. There were no signs of wear up until one Sunday ride when the chain suddenly started chattering. It turned out that it was unevenly worn and had some tight spots. Changed about 1000kms later once the replacement set was delivered. Strangely it happened short after I used WD40 to make oil a bit less thicker (I was using 80w90 in my Tutoro which was too tick for sub zero temps). Looking at the videos about the chains it makes me wonder if wasn't the reason for the chain failure as it was always rather wet. But WD is penetrating oil and used for long it might have washed out the lubricant from the inside of the links... Or I might be worng.

 

I am pretty certain I have read and been told WD40 can mess up the O-rings in the chain. I wouldn't use it.

[Rev Ken 6,343]

I am pretty certain I have read and been told WD40 can mess up the O-rings in the chain. I wouldn't use it.

I've a large tin sitting right infront of me and it states...

 

Stops Squeaks

Drives out moisture

Cleans and protects

Loosens rusted parts

Frees stick mechanisms 

 

Nowhere does it say it is a lubricant!

[wozza 967]

I've a large tin sitting right infront of me and it states...

 

Stops Squeaks

Drives out moisture

Cleans and protects

Loosens rusted parts

Frees stick mechanisms 

 

Nowhere does it say it is a lubricant!

Interesting.

 

These are quotes from various sources:-

 

R1 forum:- This evening, after I hit 40,000 miles on my '99, I went to do my routine chain lubing and found one of my X-rings finally gave out. I have used nothing but WD-40 on my chain since the day I've owned it. DID chain with stock rear and 15T(-1) Renthal up front. Let the WD-40 flaming begin

 

 

The WD40 Experiment - ktm950.info

 

I love the “but WD40 is not a lubricant” argument that some people immediately use. I don’t care that they think it’s not a lubricant… I went over 34,000 miles using it on my factory chain? That’s the bottom line.

 

 

http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/chain-o-ring-wd-40-exposure-effects-study-and-results.345397/

 

 

The above link the person went into this subject a great deal and conducted a quite detailed experiment

Table of results

Conclusion of short term exposure:

1. Carb cleaner and Gasoline samples swelled to significant sizes. Definitely not recommended to use these fluids to clean an O-ring type chain. The carb cleaner exposed O-ring increased in diameter by 29%! The gasoline exposed O-ring increased in diameter by 11%.

2. WD-40, and Kerosene seem to have negligible to no effect on the O-rings (+/-1%)

3. Brake fluid, and PJ1 chain lube seem to have a negligible to small effect on the O-rings size.

 

The thing that surprised me was that WD40 had negligible to no effect on O rings, whereas PJ1 chain lube had negligible to small effect on O ring size.

 

 

I for one will keep on using WD40 to clean my chain with the occasional lubing with a light oil (wiping off any excess).

I am no longer an all weather rider so I'm not recommending what I do. However,  what I am trying to say is the scare stories are a nonsense.

I will add that WD40 does actually make a proper chain lube.

[embee 7,288]

My guess is that most companies will use a nitrile rubber (NBR) for chain O-rings. If you check out a compatibility chart such as http://mykin.com/rubber-chemical-resistance-chart you'll see Nitrile is fine with kerosene/paraffins, naptha, mineral oils and gasoline. However it is not suited to ethanol, which I suspect is what may well have caused the swelling in the gasoline tests referred to if it contained significant ethanol.

 

If you check out the safety data sheets, WD40 is a naptha base (essentially a white spirit family member) with some mineral oil, plus the commercially secret stuff (maybe some smell, some inhibitors etc). This wouldn't cause NBR any problems.

 

Aerosol chain lube will carry a volatile solvent for penetration, maybe this has a short term effect on swelling depending on what it is. Just a guess.

 

NBR is about the most cost effective rubber suited to oil based lubricants at temperatures usually seen in engines/transmissions (100C continuous typically, 120C intermittent). Note that coolant and brake systems use other materials (EPDM etc) and they should not be mixed.

 

Many hoses etc use different rubbers for inner/outer layers to improve resistance to UV, ozone, heat ageing etc.

Edited January 24, 2016 by embee